To Thaw A Frozen Heart
by BrokenDreamz95
Summary: They say only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart - does that same rule apply for two seemingly different people who have otherwise grown up secluded from human interaction? Kristoff/Elsa
1. Innocence

He ran his ungloved hand down his face, shifting his weight from foot to foot awkwardly, averting his gaze every which way as not to land on the queen beside him. Where Anna had gotten the idea that both he and her sister – the Queen of Arrendale for Christ's sake! – would make great friends was beyond him. The young princess had all but cuffed and dragged him into the Great Hall, smiling and clapping her hands together after leaving him to stand in silence beside Queen Elsa, wide-eyed and confused, before departing.

He often made it a point to inform Anna that he and her dear sister would never be able to see eye-to-eye – literally and figuratively, he would joke. Of course, Anna insisted that the two of them would be good for each other. "You both are terrible with communication and human contact!" she had stated just a day earlier. "What better way to learn the proper ways of interaction than with each other? Come on, it'll be fun! You'll see!"

He had to admit, Anna did seem to have a point; both he and the queen were sheltered as children – her having to seclude herself out of fear of her power; he having been raised by trolls alongside his only friend at the time, Sven. Don't knock it until you try it, as his mother always said, was probably the most fitting phrase that could replay itself in his head at this moment.

"So…" he mumbled, gaze now trained on the ceiling overhead and hands fumbling at his sides. "Ice powers. Pretty cool."

"Pardon?"

"Uh – you know – your powers are just really cool!" _Excellent going, Kristoff; your first conversation with the queen – the _queen_ – and you manage to screw it up with an ice pun! A goddamn ice pun! _"I – uh – no pun intended! I just – I uh – ice is my life!"

"So I've heard," Elsa offered a soft smile, large blue eyes glancing up at the mountain man as he spluttered beside her. "Anna has told me quite the lot about you, Kristoff."

"I can't tell if that's good or bad."

"I did appoint you as Arrendale's Ice Master and Deliverer, did I not?"

"You do have a point."

He ran his hand through his messy blond hair and chewed at his bottom lip anxiously and out of habit. Dare he say another word, taking the risk of putting his foot in his mouth once more? Oh, what he wouldn't give to be enjoying the beautiful summer day out and about with Sven; yet here he was under Anna's strict orders, hunched over beside the formerly infamous Queen of Arrendale. He could just hear his mother now; "Kristoff – you know better than to lack manners around a woman, and the queen, nonetheless! Stand up straight and talk with respect! Who knows? You may even have a chance with this one!"

He shook his head at the thought. Yes, he should be properly carrying himself around Elsa – not just because she was now queen, but she was also a woman, and if anything his mother taught him stuck in his head all of these years, it was that you _always_ treat a woman with respect – but having a chance with her was out of the question. Yes, he was single – despite having kissed Anna and having been in the process of courting her, the two parted on good terms, agreeing that they just did not work together and were only caught in the moment the day of their kiss – and yes, he would agree with just about every other man that Elsa was a rather desirable and beautiful young woman, but he hadn't any feelings for her past… well… friendship – if the two of them even manage to make it as far as that, seeing as how bad of a turn their current conversation was taking – not to mention that she was Queen of Arrendale while he was an ice harvester, a commoner, a peasant. If anything, Elsa viewed him as nothing more than Anna's former love interest and current best friend, which required her to allow him inside of the palace and into her life. He knew he had only been appointed Arrendale's Ice Master and Deliverer for Anna's sake, not out of compassion from Queen Elsa. He was a lowly commoner that didn't belong; that didn't deserve the step foot in the extravagant palace.

So why was he still here?

"I – um – I," he stuttered, gaze still refusing to meet Elsa's, and hands frantically digging into his pockets. "I should be going – I have some things to take care of in town, not to mention feeding Sven lunch. It was a pleasure talking to you, Your Majesty," he took no more than four steps forward, turning on his heel to bow before the queen. "I hope the rest of your day treats you well."

The hand he felt on his shoulder stopped his function to move altogether, and instead, he looked up past his bangs and met those big blue eyes of the queen with that soft smile still upon her face.

"I don't believe I've properly thanked you for escorting and protecting Anna on her journey to find me and bring me home," she began, never breaking their gaze and stifling a giggle at the confused look upon the mountain man's face.

"I-it wasn't that big of a deal, Y-your M-majesty," he faltered, jaw slack and head filled with disbelief. Was this really happening? "Anna was the one who saved you, and you returned the favor and sparred the world from an eternal winter. I didn't exactly do much."

"Don't sell yourself short – without you, my sister would never have managed to make it to me, in turn destroying this wonderful world around us. You're just as big of a hero and she and I. Thank you, Kristoff, truly and sincerely."

_"Remember, dear, a woman is always right!"_ his mother's words rang in his ears once more, and although he never truly believed those words even with his father's insistence that his mother was indeed correct and it was best to never argue, he decided to listen. Besides, it wouldn't exactly be the most appropriate thing in the world if he stood before and argued with the queen.

"I – uh – I – er – t-thank y-you, r-really. Coming from you, Y-your M-m-majesty, truly means a l-lot."

"And please remember that you are not just Anna's dear friend, but mine as well. You are always welcome within the palace, Kristoff."

He straightened his back slowly, not wanting to startle the young woman before him, and kept his eyes upon her. Was it true? Were his fears and misconceptions of her seeing him as nothing more than a person she simply has to deal with for Anna's sake just that – fears and misconceptions? Had she really just given him an open invitation into the palace whenever it came to his liking? Had she just admitted that she saw him – the lowly, raised-by-trolls, ice-harvesting peasant – as a _dear_ friend?

Like his mother always said, you can't exactly judge a book by its cover.

"Wow. I – um – I don't know what to say…!" his voice cracked and a goofy grin spread across his face. "T-thank you, Elsa – Your Majesty!"

"Please, there is no need for such formalities amongst friends, Kristoff – you may address me as Elsa."

His eyes remained upon the smiling snow queen as he absentmindedly took several steps backward toward the front gates. "S-sorry, Your Majesty," he bowed his head, peeking out behind his bangs at the young woman. "Elsa! I mean Elsa! Sorry, that will take some getting used to…"

"Farewell, Kristoff," Elsa called to him, bringing her hand up to her mouth as she laughed at the sight of the burly young man bumping into the armored guard standing at the gate. "Please enjoy the rest of your day."

He turned on his heel, walking out amongst the fresh air beyond the royal palace, a grin finding its new home upon his strong features. Perhaps Anna was right – he and Elsa may just turn out to be great friends after all; and, who knows, perhaps the voice of his mother within his head was right – maybe, just maybe, he had a chance with her if the time was right and the feelings were there.

* * *

**A/N: **_Hello, everyone! Yes, I am one of the few Kristelsa shippers, and since I've been having such a difficult time finding an abundance of stories for this pairing, I decided to go ahead and begin writing my own oneshot collection! So sit back and enjoy the ride because I know I sure will! Also, if you have any prompts you would like to see written, please leave them in a review or shoot me a PM! I'd be glad to take any prompts and requests :) _

_Until next time!_


	2. Decisions

He plucked away at the strings of his lute, lying with his back pressed against the headboard of his bed and legs crossed upon each other. The instrument rest against his chest; his left hand fretting each string with each note played, his right strumming the strings at the body at a moderate pace. Sven's head rest against the mattress at Kristoff's feet, legs sprawled out across the wooden floor of the small house, eyes closed and a light snore emitting from the reindeer's nose as he fell asleep to the soft sound of music.

Plucking away at the strings, playing several notes and chords in variation to the song he imagined in his head, Kristoff's eyes closed and his mind began to wander. He would be having time off from harvesting due to the season of summer, meaning he had much more free time to do as he pleased than he knew what to do with. Of course, with knowledge of the matter, Anna urged the young man to get out an experience life outside of ice harvesting and living with trolls, and yet, he was unsure of just how well he would handle activities outside of the comfort of his own home.

He was much of a loner, having grown up in the outskirts of Arendelle, and was definitely not the kind of man who enjoyed even a moderate amount of human interaction. If it were up to him, Kristoff would much rather spend his time adventuring with Sven out in the wilderness, writing and playing new songs on his lute, and taking a swim out in the lake; however, despite his protests, Anna had planned ahead, scheduling out different activities he could partake in during his seasonal time off of work. Having lunch and a drink at the local pub, meeting new people in the town's square, perhaps even meeting himself a new suitor – something to which he scowled, gritted his teeth, and told Anna that he much rather preferred to be alone.

That, of course, was when her _fabulous_ idea sparked in her head – he could spend time with and get to know her sister, something that Anna stated would be good for the both of them.

"Heh, fat chance," Kristoff murmured to himself, beginning to play his lute at a much slower pace now that he was beginning to become lost in his own thoughts.

He had been forced to visit Her Majesty just a day or so earlier by none other than the Princess of Arendelle herself, resulting in prolonged silence and an uncomfortable feeling that wasn't quite so easy to shake. The two had gotten along, of course, for Kristoff would never disrespect a woman – let alone the reigning queen – but he couldn't help but feel as though he had wasted his time from the moment he got home and plopped down upon his bed. He was nothing more than a man seeking adventure in his life; someone who valued his time alone with his reindeer, someone who didn't get alone with others well or often; a lone-wolf, as he liked to call himself. He and Elsa were much more different than Anna originally thought, and he left the palace knowing he might as well not so much as even seek out a friendly bond with the queen, for despite their sheltered upbringings and lack of communication skills, they contrasted each other more than he knew Anna had hoped.

Despite all of those thoughts having been in his mind during his departure from the palace, why had it been so difficult for him to shake the grin off of his face as he headed for the stables to retrieve Sven?

"What do you think, Sven?" Kristoff asked, resting his hand atop the strings of his lute and nudging the sleeping reindeer with his foot. "Do you think Anna is right?"

The reindeer's eyes opened rather slowly and his gaze settled upon Kristoff as he yawned. He took a moment to allow his vision to properly focus before looking at his best friend with a questioning look.

"I think you should let me go back to sleep," Kristoff's gruff, goofy voice for Sven rang out.

"Come on, buddy," Kristoff pleaded, voice returning to its normal state. "Help me out here. Do you think Elsa and I have more in common than I originally thought?"

"Maybe you should get to know her better before being so quick to judge," the gruff, goofy voice ran out once more, and Sven turned his head away from Kristoff's view, closing his eyes in hopes of finding sleep again. "Now please – let me sleep."

The ice harvester furrowed his brow and set his lute down beside his bed. Sven did have a point – how much did Kristoff really know about the queen other than the fact that she possessed power over ice and snow?

_Well, she's a lot like me when it comes to interacting with others, _he thought, beginning to answer his questions himself. _And she did grow up sheltered like me – well not exactly like me. I don't think she was raised by trolls alongside a reindeer… She does have an eye for beauty based off of that ice palace she built, and she seems to have a sense of humor and fun now that I've seen her around Anna. She's very compassionate, I mean, she did appoint me Ice Master and Deliverer of Arendelle, which helped me get a place to call my own here in town… Okay, I guess I _do _know more about her than I give myself credit for…_

He brought his hands behind his head, lacing his fingers through each other, and stared at the ceiling above, making imaginary images out of the textures of the material. Based off of what he knew of Elsa, Kristoff could determine they shared a sense of fun and humor, as well as an eye for beauty and love of ice and snow; beyond that, however, was nothing. Sure, he could become friends with someone like Elsa, based off of those facts – but once he got to know her for who she truly is – someone much more human and not just as the Queen of Arendelle – could he really enjoy her company?

What if he didn't like the way she ate? Or perhaps the way she sat? What if he didn't grow to like the lifestyle of the royals? What if their definition of fun differed drastically? What if she was just as boring as he imagined a queen to be? What then? Their friendship would be broken, and Kristoff wasn't about to invest time and feelings in a person he may or may not bond with.

Life was about taking risks – risks he agreed to take due to a vast majority of them being involved in his line of work. Of course it was a risk to invest time into a person you may or may not stay close with, right? That was the basis of human interaction – hell, even human life itself – something of which he knew he would have to learn eventually if he planned on enjoying everything that life had to offer him. Besides, he knew Anna would continue pestering him to get out and experience the world, which meant in turn interacting with others – others that included her older sister whom she still insisted would be good for Kristoff.

"I guess I've gotta take a chance, huh Sven?"

As much as he disliked his decision, he would agree to do as Anna said so long as it benefited him just as much as she said; he would get out of the house every now and again with Sven and take a walk, maybe even say hi to those who did the same; he would take her up on the offer to visit the local pub for a nice drink – something he would most likely need from the stress and commotion he would soon be dealing with; he would even take that risk of befriending Elsa, even if it were for the sake of being able to say he had made another new friend, and in turn, perhaps the two of them could discuss different things and shed some light on each others' upbringing, something that may be therapeutic to the both of them.

He would discuss his decision with Anna in the morning. For now, he needed to follow Sven's lead and get some sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** Hello, everyone! Here is the second chapter to this series. I've seen a few of you throwing around the idea of this being a fleshed out story instead of a collection of oneshots, and I have taken this into account. Good news for all of you - despite this story remaining oneshot based, each chapter will be connected loosely to one another, giving me the ease of writing each chapter, and you all the enjoyment of a fleshed out story in a much shorter version. Oneshots allow me less stress than writing lengthy chapters, which is why I enjoy writing them so much. I hope you all enjoy my idea, and I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. Thank you all for your reviews, and if you have just come across this story, hello! I hope you enjoy your stay :) Until next time!


	3. Down the Road

"Elsa, come on! You need some time to yourself to have some fun!"

"Anna, I'm very busy. I cannot just leave my work unattended. I have to make sure everything regarding the kingdom is accounted for."

Anna folded her arms against her chest and huffed, pouting in the direction of her older sister. Even though she was no longer locked in her room or afraid of her powers and what others thought of them, Anna could deduce that her sister was still a stickler when it came to fun. Sure, Elsa was now Queen of Arendelle, but in Anna's mind, that didn't mean her older sister couldn't have fun. Elsa could take a break from work and leave her in charge – after all, she was a princess of the kingdom. She could handle whatever duties necessary if it meant that her sister was enjoying her day to the fullest.

"I can take care of it all!" Anna grinned, approaching her sister from the side and resting her arm upon the wood finish. "I mean, I would have to do the same if you were to travel. How hard can it be?"

"I don't know, Anna," Elsa bit her lip ever so slightly, keeping her attention focused on the papers before her and the pen in her hand. "I have to meet with the Private Secretaries in half an hour to review my daily quota. Afterward, I'm to meet with government officials to discuss some rather important matters."

"Piece of cake! I can take care of that and then some."

"Anna, I don't know. These aren't short meetings and conversations. They can take as long as an hour—"

"I know, that's the point! Let me take care of your duties today – you deserve some time off."

"Anna…"

"I already appointed Kristoff as your escort for the day. Don't keep him waiting, Elsa. He's outside."

The sound of scribbling had come to a sudden halt, and without warning, the Queen felt her heart flutter at the mere mention of the mountain man's name. Her brow rose before she quickly composed herself, and as she turned her full attention toward her younger sister, she lay her pen down beside her paperwork.

"You should have known better than to take time out of his schedule for something that was certain not to happen," Elsa contended, hands fidgeting about in her lap. "I can't just leave my duties like you seem to think."

"Um, hello – I am talking to the Queen of Arendelle, aren't I?"

"Yes, but—"

"Please just do this for me, Elsa," Anna's voiced lowered. "And if not for me, at least do it for Kristoff. I don't want to send him home after dragging him all the way over here!"

Her younger sister did have a point; sending the poor mountain man home after Anna had left him to wait for God knows how long wouldn't exactly be the nicest thing possible. After all, he resided on the edge of town – a mere thirty-minute walk, fifteen by horse, or in his case, reindeer. Sending him home now would make the Queen appear rather cold and distant – much more than she already appeared in his eyes.

Elsa sighed in defeat.

There was just no winning with Anna, was there?

"Fine," she sighed in defeat, pushing her chair and herself away from the desk. She stood slowly and straightened her back, patting down any wrinkles or unnecessary folds in her dress. "I'll allow Kristoff to be my escort in to town if it really means that much to you."

"Yay!" Anna grinned, clapping her hands together and jumping for joy just before throwing her arms around her sister and drawing her in close for a loving embrace. "You have no idea how much this means to me that you're finally getting out of this stuffy castle to have some fun!"

"Anna, it isn't that I don't want to have fun, it's just—"

"You're busy with your royal duties; yeah, yeah, I know, but that's where Princess Anna comes in to save the day! Now shoo! Go on, before Kristoff gets grumpy and leaves!"

* * *

His hands had been shoved deep within his pockets from the moment the two departed from the palace. Not a word had been spoken for the past fifteen minutes; half of their trip in to town, and Elsa wondered if Kristoff had put up as much of a fight with Anna as she had earlier that day. His brow was furrowed just the slightest, and his bottom lip stuck out nearly unnoticeable in a small pout.

The silence was just about as uncomfortable as walking this distance in heels – and that was saying a lot for Elsa.

She could see the town come into view just on the horizon, listening closely for the sounds of the townspeople above the click-clacking of her ice heels and heavy footsteps of Kristoff's boots. It truly had been quite awhile since she had ventured off to mingle with the citizens of Arendelle and experience life of a commoner, and the simple thought sent a wave of anxiety coursing through the queen's veins. Her hands fidgeted about as she walked beside the mountain man.

"Um, Elsa," the ice harvester muttered beside her, gently nudging her side with his elbow. "You're kind of making it snow."

The queen hummed in surprise, glancing up above to find his words rang true – although light, snow was in fact falling around them. She quickly composed herself, ceasing her anxious fidgeting and reining her powers back in. With a flick of her head, she brought her long braid back to rest over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Kristoff," she quickly apologized, glancing every which way to make sure none of the passersby noticed the slight slip-up from the queen. "I guess I have yet to gain proper control over my ability."

"Don't apologize; a little snow in the summer never hurt anyone. In fact, it would help me greatly! Summer isn't exactly a prime month for an ice harvester," he offered a half smile, allowing his shoulders to slump as he seemed to relax even the slightest. "You know, there's nothing wrong with being nervous."

For the first time during their less than pleasant walk to town, Elsa looked up at the young man in curiosity. "I'm sorry?"

"I may not be the best at reading people, but even I can tell when someone is nervous about something," he flashed a playful, toothy grin. "You may be the queen and all, but you're still human – it's nothing to be embarrassed about."

Her brows knitted together and a smile played at her lips; she supposed Kristoff was right, and if anyone knew just how she felt about being around others, it would be the burly blond beside her.

Perhaps Anna was on to something – perhaps Kristoff would, in fact, be a great friend for the young Queen of Arendelle.

"Thank you, Kristoff." Almost instantly, the fight against her emotions was lost, and the smile, which tugged at the corners of her lips, had ultimately won the battle. "Truly."

"Don't mention it, Your Highness," his grin faded to a smile as he absentmindedly kicked a pebble across the stone pavement. "Er – um – Elsa, Elsa!" he stumbled over his words, catching his slight slip-up and remembering that she had granted him permission to address her informally by her name. "Sorry, it's just going to take some getting used to."

She smiled up at the ice harvester and allowed the silence to fall upon them once more as they entered the town. Her bright blue eyes surveyed the area, falling upon the bustling square filled with many laughs and smiles from both children and adults alike. Her smile spread from ear-to-ear at the sight and sounds, happy that, now, she and her sister could finally be a part of the joy that the citizens shared.

"How about we go have some fun before these people bombard their lovely queen with questions?"

"Oh, I don't think that's very polite of me, Kristoff."

"I _do_ have to make good on my promise to Anna, and if I come back telling her that you talked to a bunch of people the entire time, I don't think she'd be very happy with me."

His words rang true – if they were to return back to the palace with news of failing to fulfill their promises, Anna would surely whip up some sort of punishment, most likely pushing them out of the castle and back in to town with orders not to return until they could honestly say the two of them had even so much as an ounce of fun.

It was a difficult to reject his request, especially with the way his brows knitted together and his bottom lip protruded out in a pout. Had Anna been teaching him just how to win her over?

"Fine," Elsa sighed, giving in to the mountain man's ways. "As long as we aren't gone too long. I don't trust Anna's decisions enough to leave her alone to tend to my work for the day."

"Good, I didn't plan on dying by Anna's hand today," he chuckled. "I'm not the best at this fun stuff, but I'm sure we can manage. Just remember, even the Queen has to have fun sometimes."

"Funny, Anna said something along those lines this morning."

"I've come to learn that she's usually right about these things – now then, how about some lunch to start this day off right?"

* * *

**A/N:** I almost scrapped this chapter after going over it. It feels a bit bland to me... Tell me what you think. I love hearing constructive criticism. I'm also sorry this chapter took longer than expected. Being busy, as well as having writer's block, have really kept me away from this. Anyway, until next time!


	4. Word of Mouth

"Hurry up, Sven! My ass is falling asleep."

The mountain man yanked on the reins in his hands, weakly glaring down at his reindeer best friend, and hoping the beast would pick up his pace as they ventured back in to town.

He blew the hair away from his eyes. Perhaps fashioning Sven with a saddle wouldn't be the worst idea possible; taking trips toward the mountains in the middle of summer without the comfort of a sled was definitely doing wonders on his backside.

"Come on, buddy," Kristoff drawled, placing a hand atop the reindeer's head and patting him lightly. "Please go a little faster."

"You aren't the one carrying excess weight on your back!" he all but shouted in that goofy voice he used to speak for his best friend.

Kristoff groaned in response and brought his hand away from Sven, running his fingers through his own hair. He had to admit, he did miss the cold winter months – after all, the winter season meant that ice was in demand, and he loved nothing more than harvesting the frozen blocks deep in the fjord; winter also meant the capability of riding in his new sled – gifted personally to him by the queen – without worry of a tingling or numb backside.

"Just remember," the soft, soothing voice of the queen rung through his head, "you owe me a ride once the snow begins to fall."

He rubbed his hand across his chin as the memory of their day spent in town flooded his mind. He could faintly remember pursing his lips and raising an eyebrow as he looked down at the platinum blonde, popping a chocolate truffle in his mouth. "You really wanna take a sled ride with me and Sven?"

"I don't believe I would be mentioning it if I didn't," she had smiled, following his lead of popping a truffle past her lips. "Anna says the rides are rather fun; I want to see what all of the fuss is about."

He was brought back to reality at the sound of voices growing closer with each gallop Sven took, the sound of his own hooves hitting the cobblestone streets of Arendelle reaching Kristoff's ears. He hopped off of Sven's back and walked alongside the reindeer, running his hand through his best friend's thick fur, and smiled. Although he wasn't much of a fan of summer, he had to admit that the weather was quite nice today.

"Let's get some carrots, Sven," Kristoff grinned, eyeing the fresh vegetable cart.

With a delighted whinny, the reindeer quickened his pace, beating his best buddy to the vegetable cart.

The burly blond's hand instantly shot into his pant pockets, and keeping his smile on his face, he trekked behind Sven, jingling the loose change I his pockets between his fingers. The town was bustling today, and that surprisingly left Kristoff at ease; what had once been a community left in fear of their newly crowned queen, had come to embrace the young monarch with open arms and newfound enjoyment of her incredible abilities. His eyes fell upon the ice rink at the thought; so many wore smiles as they glided across the ice that seemed impossible to melt as long as it was under the watchful eye of the queen. His ears, however, picked up not on the laughter and joyous screams of children enjoying the ice rink, but instead on a select group of men who huddled around each other and spat nasty remarks about a woman with no ounce of remorse behind their words. It made Kristoff sick to even be near the trio.

It made him even sicker when a certain title reached his ears.

"That damn queen," one of them muttered angrily, "The fact that they allow her to remain as our ruler sickens me! She's a witch – we've seen it firsthand!"

"Do you honestly believe anyone would dare challenge her?" another replied, eyes narrowing. "I know for a fact that I'd rather bite my tongue than be frozen in place."

"Yes, but look at what she did to our dear Princess Anna," the third man interjected. "She attacked her own sister – froze her heart, mind you – and nearly murdered her! Prince Hans was spot on – that woman is a monster."

The rattling of change in Kristoff's pocket came to a screeching halt, and instead he flung the coins from his clenched fist as he dashed toward the trio in sheer anger. Grabbing the nearest to him, Kristoff wound his arm back and thrust forward, making contact with the man's face and sending him flat on his back against the street.

"Are you mad, man?" one of the man's acquaintances yelled as the other tended to the injured, brining the bustling town to a dead silence. "Guards! Guards! Arrest this man! Dear God, Gerald! Are you alright?"

As soon as the guards grabbed him by his arms, everything went black.

* * *

She clasped her hands together and placed them in her lap, rubbing her palms together nervously. Her gaze focused on the unconscious man lying against the bed before her, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest from her place upon the wooden stool. His blond locks stuck to his sweat-ridden forehead, and for a moment, the queen contemplated creating a slight snowfall in order to cool down the ice harvester coming down from his adrenaline rush.

Anna had rushed to the dining hall within the castle where she found her elder sister at the head of the table, just beginning her lunch. The news had spread quickly enough to reach the princess' ears as she rounded the corner from the palace stables – and since the information involved their dear friend and the kingdom's ice master and deliverer, she felt she should be the one to inform the queen rather than the royal guards.

There hadn't been much information regarding the matter; only eyewitness accounts of the altercation were given to the guards. From Elsa's understanding, the young man had attacked another in the town square, sending him tumbling backward and hitting his head against the stone. The other men involved tended to their friend all while calling for assistance from the kingdom guards who ultimately apprehended Kristoff. According to Anna, someone had reported a fourth man in the mix who had attacked Kristoff from behind with a blunt object, resulting in his unconscious state. The man had also been apprehended, and the guards had carried Kristoff back to the palace cells, allowing him to rest upon the cold, makeshift metal bed.

The details of why Kristoff had suddenly attacked the man were unknown, and Elsa hoped that he could shed some light upon the situation once he woke.

She brushed the strands of hair away from his forehead and placed her hand upon his skin, hoping her cool touch would help his body temperature to drop back to normal. It was difficult to see such a dear friend in this manner; over the few days Anna had pushed the two together, Elsa found that she truly enjoyed Kristoff's company. They shared an intense fascination with ice, and although Kristoff appeared intimidating and brooding, she found that the young man carried with him a warm and caring personality, as well as an interesting, yet tasteful sense of humor. He managed to bring out a side of her that she assumed only Anna could accomplish, and although it was as if she was trekking in uncharted territory, she found joy in being able to call someone her friend.

Her first true friend, other than her sister.

It was refreshing, to say the least.

"My Queen," a male voice from behind the cell door called out, freeing Elsa from further becoming lost in her thoughts. "The physician we had examine him earlier said there is no definite answer to when he would regain consciousness. Shall I escort you back to the main gates?"

"That's quite alright," she replied soft and gentle, absentmindedly tracing invisible patterns against Kristoff's warm skin with her fingertips. "I'd like to be here when he awakes; let my sister know that I'll be here, as well."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

As she listened to the guard's footsteps becoming lower in volume as he left in search of Anna, Elsa's attention returned to the young man lying against the metal bed. Her fingers continued to trace patterns against his skin, and she allowed herself a smile upon noticing that his temperature seemed to be dwindling down at her touch.

It was odd, she thought, that she harbored such immense feelings for a man she seemed to barely know anything about, and yet, know so much. Upon hearing of his injury, she rushed to his side with a heavy heart, not even bothering to remove her heels in fear of injuring herself. She had pushed past the guards, entering the cell and sitting on the stool beside the metal bed, smiling softly to herself when she noticed the steady rise and fall of his chest that signified he was alive and well. She knew Anna would smirk at and tease her, never allowing her to hear the end of it, and she would dismiss her fear for the young man's well-being as simply caring for her new-found friend. After all, it wasn't abnormal to care for friends in such a way, even if Elsa had lacked experience in friendships.

A low groan from deep within Kristoff's throat tore Elsa away from her thoughts, and although she quickly halted the actions of her fingers, that didn't stop the weak smile from spreading across the young ice harvester's lips.

"So," he began groggily, voice just above a whisper. "The Ice Queen decided to come visit a man in custody, huh?"

"Anna told me what happened," Elsa explained, gaze landing upon Kristoff's face, taking notice that his eyes remained closed. "How did you know it was me?"

"Not everyone has ice cold hands, Elsa," he peered at her through cracked open eyelids.

"I apologize," she murmured, removing her palm from his skin and resting her hand against her lap once more. "I came to see how you were doing – you took a rather terrible hit to your head. How are you feeling?"

He groaned inwardly as he slowly rose to rest his weight against his forearms as not to further worry Elsa. He felt the aching pain at the back of his head once he became more alert, and although his face twisted in agony, he didn't verbalize the pain he was in. "I'm holding up," he averted his eyes as he spoke. "I've had harder blows on the ice – this is nothing, trust me."

Her crystal blue eyes watched him closely, noticing the slight twinge of pain show through his expression. Men would be men, she supposed, and that meant dealing with a stubborn personality nearly as terrible as her sister's. She sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Would you mind telling me what exactly prompted you to attack those men?"

Kristoff's face sobered at the queen's question. He slung his legs over the edge of the metal attached to the wall and hunched over, hanging his head low and resting his arms on his thighs. He gazed at the blonde from behind his shaggy golden hair. "It was nothing; just a scuffle between guys. It happens all the time."

"Kristoff, please don't act like this is not a big deal," Elsa began, furrowing her eyebrows slightly and shifting about upon the stool. "You don't strike me as the type to instigate altercations at random – just tell me what happened."

"You won't like it."

"I don't like the fact that you won't tell me the truth, Kristoff."

He huffed, blowing the hair away from his eyes and straightening his back. His dark eyes stared back at her and his brow furrowed to match her own expression. "I didn't like what they were saying about a particular queen, so I intervened."

Her face softened, and her eyes widened ever so slightly at his words. She knew that some citizens would continue to discriminate against her, and for that, she was prepared, but for Kristoff to have taken it upon himself to correct the problem was a slight shock to her. Did he really care this much about her?

"Oh, Kristoff..."

"You saved Arendelle for Christ's sake!" he threw his hands up, completely ignoring the queen's words. "Sure, it was kinda your fault that the kingdom was frozen in the first place, but you took care of it! You were afraid of the abilities you possessed! And, sure, you nearly murdered Anna, but she's alive and well and still loves you! She is probably your number one supporter, and these assholes should be following in her lead! You're an amazing queen who is doing a phenomenal job at keeping her kingdom in tip-top shape!"

"Kristoff..."

"Huh? Oh, sorry! Pardon my language; my mom would kill me if she knew I cussed in the presence of a woman."

"No, that isn't an issue," she chuckled, placing her hand upon his broad shoulder. "My issue is you taking such matters into your own hands – I knew that there would be those who still possessed such assumptions about me, and to be quite honest, it does bother me, however I try my best to ignore their harsh words."

"I'd prefer people keeping my friend's names out of their mouths," he answered sternly. "Even if you did do something terrible by mistake; no offense."

"It's quite alright. I take responsibility for my mistakes – but that doesn't mean you should feel the need to take care of the naysayers just because you associate me as a friend."

"I really do think Anna's right, ya know," he smiles, his gaze now downcast and his large hand moving atop her own upon his shoulder. "We're turning out to be pretty great friends."

A knock on the cell door grabbed the attention of the ice harvester and the queen, and soon, a voice could be heard.

"Your Majesty – the French Ambassador has arrived early for your meeting."

"Let him know I will be right out," Elsa prompted with a soft smile. She gave Kristoff's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and rose from the stool. "Please make sure you let the other guards know that Mr. Bjorgman has been acquitted on all charges per orders of the queen."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Please do take care of your injury, Kristoff," Elsa turned for the opening cell door, smoothing out the braid draped over her shoulder. "I expect to spend time with you soon."

"I look forward to it," the ice harvester managed a smile as he watched the queen leave his cell.

* * *

**A/N:** I apologize for the prolonged wait! I made up for it with a longer chapter, though. Hope you all enjoy. Until next time!


	5. You Can't Say No to a Royal

"She really likes you, you know."

"Who would this 'she' be, exactly?"

"Elsa, silly! She really likes you. A lot."

He stopped dead in his tracks, chomping down on the carrot stick he held in his hand absentmindedly. "Excuse me?" he mumbled through a mouth full of food.

"I knew you were dense, but I didn't think you were this dense, Kristoff," the cheerful strawberry blonde smiled, turning on her heel to face him and clashing her hands innocently behind her back. "My sister – Queen Elsa of Arendelle – the Snow Queen – has a crush on a Mr. Bjorgman, Arendelle's Ice Master and Harvester."

"This is an entirely knew level of crazy, even for you, Anna," Kristoff grumbled once he had thoroughly chewed the piece of orange vegetable and swallowed the crushed bits. "She's the queen – of course she has to be overly nice to people. Besides, her and I are friends, like you said we'd be."

"That may be the case," Anna whistled happily, rocking back and forth upon her heels. "But Elsa has a crush on you, even if she or you can't see it just yet."

"And what exactly gives you that idea?"

"Well, for starters, she was the first and last person to check up on you after you were arrested," the princess stated matter-of-factly. Her smile turned sheepish after she realized exactly what words had just left her mouth. "Which I'm sorry for, by the way. I would have came, but Elsa wanted me to stay at home to take care of some things!"

The ice harvester folded his arms across his chest after he downed the last of his carrot.

Anna's brow furrowed. "Back on topic – you already know she is as awkward around people as you are, Mr. Raised-by-trolls, and yet look at how much she has opened up to you already!"

"It isn't much, Anna. We're just nicely aquatinted."

"Ok then, how old is she?"

"Twenty-one."

"Favorite color?"

"Crystal blue."

"Her nickname growing up?"

"Elle."

"Favorite food?"

"Chocolate."

"Favorite pastime?"

"Other than playing around with her powers, ice-skating and horseback riding."

Anna smiled triumphantly and took her turn to cross her arms. Kristoff was just as oblivious to the obvious as her own sister. Perhaps having grown up secluded from human contact caused the similarities in their personalities.

Kristoff raised a brow in question as he stared back at the Princess of Arendelle. After a moment, he huffed in frustration and dug his hands in his pockets, beginning to trudge forward. "You sure are as weird as I had thought – and then some!" he squinted just as the sun hit his eyes, grumbling his words as he passed her by. "Just because I know a few things about her doesn't mean anything other than us beginning to be good friends."

"You may see it that way, Kristoff, but I'm not so sure my sister shares the same view."

The ice harvester groaned inwardly and rolled his eyes, deciding it best to ignore Queen Elsa's dear sister, and to continue on his way toward the local pub for a nice sandwich, and, perhaps at this rate, a drink or two. However, much to his slight annoyance, the sound of Anna's heels clicking against the pavement became more frequent, and soon, she walked at his side with a sly smirk upon her face that he had grown much more accustomed to than he thought. He stopped in his tracks once again, eying the people around them who went about their business in the town square, and scowled down at the young woman beside him. "Look, Anna – your sister is the queen. I'm a lowly ice harvester who talks to his reindeer and was raised by trolls. Elsa doesn't like me that way – if anything, she feels sorry for me. She'll find someone that is more appropriate for her, like a prince! Or maybe even a king!"

"I guess you really don't know as much about my sister as I thought you did…"

"What?"

"Nothing! Look, I'll drop the subject as long as you agree to one thing."

"And that would be?"

Anna pursed her lips and knitted her brow, remembering the ball scheduled this upcoming weekend in order to celebrate her coronation properly. If her hunch was correct, Elsa would be ecstatic to see Kristoff at the ball, and hopefully this would allow Anna a chance to unveil the ice harvester's true feelings for her sister. A dance with the queen from a hopeful courter, perhaps, would be enough to ruffle the blonde's feathers.

"Come to Elsa's coronation ball this weekend!" Anna grinned, picturing her plan in full motion in her mind's eye. "We're throwing a proper ball now that she can control her powers a bit better. You already know how terrible the first one went."

"Shouldn't the queen be inviting me herself?" Kristoff asked, raising a brow in question. "It is her party after all."

"Hello! Princess of Arendelle here! I can invite people, too!"

"I don't have any nice clothes."

"I can take care of that."

"I can't dance."

"I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"Elsa probably won't want me there."

"Stop making excuses, Kristoff! Elsa would love it if you were there!"

The ice harvester pouted ever so slightly. How could he have forgotten just how stubborn Anna could be? Even though he wasn't one for parties, he had to admit he would do it as long as he was guaranteed not having to dance with anyone, nor converse with anyone excluding both royal sisters. It couldn't be that bad, right? If anything, he could always consult his mother for advice on just how to act around such uppity people.

"Fine," Kristoff hung his head, running his hand down his face. "I'll do it."

Anna clasped her hands together and grinned. "Fantastic! I'll get you an appointment for a fitting with the tailor as soon as possible!"

Oh, just what had Kristoff gotten himself into?

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys! Just wanting to let you know this is more a filler chapter than anything, and our next chapter will be the ball! Sorry for the short length as well as quality - I just wanted to properly set up the following chapter. Until next time!


	6. Breaking the Fear

One arm was folded across his chest while the other stuck out slightly to allow himself ease of holding his glass in hand. He surveyed the ballroom from his place off to the side, eyes narrowing as he analyzed the men and women making their way into the room. The fancy suits and extravagant suits the men and women wore caused Kristoff to feel out of place. He looked down at the clothing he wore upon his body; everything was white in color with bits of blue here and there, and his mind went back to Anna's words the moment she have him the suit. "I chose white because you work in the snow a lot, and blue for the ice!"

He couldn't help but think this was some elaborate scheme of hers in order to prove to him that her sister took notice in him as more than a friend.

He rolled his eyes and lifted the rim of his cup to his lips. He would have to humor her, he supposed, if he wanted her to drop the subject entirely.

"Ah, you sir!"

Kristoff whipped his head in the direction of the voice he assumed spoke to him. Never did he think he would have to converse with royals other than the two women of Arendelle.

His gaze landed upon a dark haired young man only a few inches shorter than himself, sporting a dark blue suit upon his lean frame.

Kristoff raised a brow.

"Can I help you?"

"My apologizes, sir – I don't believe I've seen you at gatherings such as this."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"My name is Ronaldo Javier Cruz-De Leon of Spain," the young man smiled at Kristoff, offering his hand in introduction.

Hesitantly, the ice harvester took the Spaniard's hand and shook it firmly. "Kristoff Bjorgman – uh, of Arendelle, I guess."

"You guess?" Ronaldo chuckled, running a hand through his dark hair. "A funny man, I see! Tell me, are you one of the servants to Queen Elsa, or...?"

"Ice Master and Harvester, actually," Kristoff replied through gritted teeth. "Appointed personally by Queen Elsa herself."

"Oh," the Spaniard said quickly, his smile fading and his expression twisting sheepishly. "My apologies, Mr. Bjorgman! I just assumed–"

"That someone you've never seen or heard of was Arendelle's newest lackey?" Kristoff downed the remainder of his drink and set the glass down upon the table behind him. "If I may – I've never heard of you, either. What are you, a son of some fancy-schmancy duke or something?"

"The King of Spain, actually," Ronaldo corrected. "I'm one of three Princes of Spain."

"That explains the holier-than-thou attitude," Kristoff muttered below his breath, soft enough for no one else's ears but the prince's and his own. "I'm sure the rest of your family is just as charming as you are, Prince Ronaldo."

"As I'm sure your family is as well, Mr. Bjorgman."

Just as Kristoff's lips parted in ready to speak, the voice of Kai bellowed amongst the room as those in attendance silenced themselves for what was to come.

"It is with my pleasure that I announce to you, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

The silence, however, was gone as quickly as it came about. The sound of heels click-clacking against the floor of the ballroom filled the air, and upon the tiniest glimpse of the queen, the crowd burst into applause.

Her now signature ice dress hugged the curves of her body in such a beautiful manner, and her heels fit perfectly around her small feet, truly adding to her look. The transparent cape of ice flowed behind her, almost as though it was mere waves against the surface of a crystal clear lake, and the snowflakes that highlighted both her bodice and cape seemed to glisten against the lighting within the ballroom. Her platinum blonde hair remained in its usual up do, with the long braid hanging gingerly over her shoulder, while her bangs were kept slicked back atop her head. Many hadn't noticed before, but just as her clothing sparkled beneath the light, her hair seemed to follow suit. Many could now agree that Queen Elsa of Arendelle was truly one of the most beautiful women to have graced them with her presence.

"Breathtaking..." the young ice harvester mumbled to no one in particular, his eyes filled was amazement and mouth hanging agape as though star struck. Of course, he was one to find beauty in nearly anything related with ice, but with everything Elsa seemed to create left him speechless and in love with every single frozen fractal.

"She is, isn't she?"

The feminine voice beside him pulled Kristoff away from his trance with the queen, causing his face to twist into another expression entirely. He glanced beside himself only to be met with a certain strawberry blonde princess whose hands were clasped behind her back and a small smile graced her lips.

The ice harvester was seemingly at a loss for words, something he truly believed to be impossible for someone such as himself until Anna came into his life.

"Don't think I haven't seen the way you look at her when you think no one is looking," Anna softly said, focus remaining on her sister before the crowd. "I can't necessarily say I blame you, though. Every man with pulse is captivated by her, and a lot of women are in envy."

His eyebrows furrowed in such a manner as though he were the cat that are the canary. Of course Anna of all people would take notice of him stealing glances of her sister when he assumed no one was looking; however, as she had just stated, every man with a pulse could be caught doing the same. After all, it is a natural thing for men to take notice of a beautiful woman. He couldn't help but wonder, though, with that twinkle in her eye, if Anna was hinting at something much bigger than simply noticing the beauty her sister held.

"Shouldn't you be up there with Her Majesty?" Kristoff tipped his head toward the princess, folding his arms across his chest and attempting to change the subject.

"I wanted to sit this one out; after all, Arendelle needs to take more notice of the woman who saved the kingdom from something she accidentally caused," she answered quickly, craning her head up slightly. Her gaze shifted toward the outdoorsman quickly. "And it seems that my plan really allowed a certain ice harvester to notice her in a different light."

His lips parted and his mouth opened in protest, only to be interrupted by the sudden sounds of instruments in the background and a certain prince's voice booming over it.

"I do believe a dance with the queen is in order," Ronaldo smiled, coming to stand once again at Kristoff's side. "Don't you agree, Mr. Bjorgman?"

"Wow, making friends already, Kristoff? I'm impressed!"

"Hardly!" Kristoff gritted his teeth and pinched the bridge of his nose. Rather awkwardly, the ice harvester moved away from the Prince of Spain and Princess of Arendelle, placing one hand behind his back and another before him all while clearing his throat.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle, Prince Ronaldo Javier Cruz-De Lion of Spain. Prince Ronaldo Javier Cruz-De Lion of Spain, Princess Anna of Arendelle."

"De Leon, Mr. Bjorgman. It's De Leon."

"That's what I said!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. – uh – Mr. Cruz-De Leon."

"Please, my lady," Ronaldo flashed a small, yet bright grin, and took Anna's hand in his own. "You may call me Ronaldo. There is no need for such formalities from such a beautiful young woman."

With a secrete roll of his eyes, Kristoff mumbled to himself, "Dear God, give me a break."

"Oh," Anna giggled as the Spanish prince kissed the back of her hand. "Um, well thank you, Mr. Cruz De–Ronaldo! Ronaldo. Sorry!"

"Mr. Bjorgman, you don't mind if I steal this lovely princess away for a dance, do you?"

"What happened to your dance with the queen?"

"I am sure many other nobles are all in line for such a dance – I can get to it before the night ends. It is only out of respect, anyway. For now, I wish to share as much of the night with the queen's lovely sister as possible. That is, if it is alright with her."

"It is! It is!" Anna grinned. "I'm sorry to leave you alone, Kristoff, but this gives you a chance to spend some time with Elsa!"

"Huh?"

"I'll talk to you later, Kristoff!"

And just like that, the young ice harvester was left alone in the middle of the ball room, confused and annoyed as he attempted to figure out just what Anna's deal with him and her sister was.

He glanced around the room at the dancing couples all around him, smirking beside himself when his eyes landed upon the Spanish prince and his dear friend. It took him all of his might not to call out a warning not to marry this one too quickly to Anna, though he knew such a warning was not only inappropriate, but would surely earn him a painful blow to the head from the lovesick princess.

He clumsily made his way through the dancing couples, bumping shoulders with a few men and women as he did so, and stood off to the side on his own. He was truly not one to dance, especially given his rather tall stature, and none of the younger women seemed even the slightest bit interested in him due to arriving with their own dates. He continued to survey the room, only then taking notice that, in fact, there was no line of men before the throne where the queen sat as Ronaldo has presumed. It was a rather surprising revelation to Kristoff, as he remembered Anna's words toward her older sister's heavenly beauty, but upon further inspection, he could tell that the queen didn't look even the least bit disappointed at her lack of dancing partners. Instead, her bright blue eyes shined as she watched the foreigners and citizens of Arendelle sway to the music with a warm smile on her face.

She seemed as happy as could be now that she was finally welcomed by her kingdom as their queen.

Perhaps a little company wouldn't hurt.

"Hey," he said softly, approaching the throne with a friendly smile upon his lips. Despite his caution, his voice only seemed to earn a jump from the young queen, perhaps startling her out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you like that!"

"Oh, Kristoff! It's quite alright," Elsa's hand came to rest upon his chest, just above her heart, and her smile returned. "I didn't expect anyone up here, that's all."

"Didn't expect anyone?" he echoed her words in confusion. "You mean to tell me there was no line of men waiting for their chance to dance with the Queen of Arendelle?"

"Oh, there were," an awkward chuckle escaped her lips. "However, I turned them away."

"What? Why?"

"I don't dance."

"That's crazy talk!" he threw his hands in the air, voice having grown louder in volume. When he noticed the people staring, he quieted himself. "Every queen dances – even the ones that are terrible at it!"

"It isn't that I'm bad at it, it's just..." she bit her lip, something Kristoff noticed made her appear quite vulnerable from the powerful and elegant Snow Queen, as she had been dubbed. She had gazed down at her hands in this moment, pain seeming to flash through her crystal blue eyes. "I've avoided sharing a dance with someone out of fear that I would hurt them."

Kristoff was, once again, at a loss for words, his lips only able to form the shape of an _o_ as he listened to her words. Did she still live in such fear, even after learning to have control over her abilities? Or, rather, did others continue to live in fear of her, even after all she had done for her kingdom?

Perhaps she just needed an extra push in order to break her fear.

"I'll dance with you."

"Excuse me?"

"I said that I'll dance with you," he rubbed the back of his neck before adjusting his suit jacket. "To – um – break your fear of hurting someone. I'll dance with you."

"Kristoff, I don't believe that's such a good idea..."

"Come on, it'll be fun! Besides," he bowed before the queen and held out his hand, grinning at her behind his bangs, "you can't turn down your official Ice Master and Harvester in front of all these people, can you?"

His grin widened further across his face at the sight of her wide-eyed stare and slack-jawed expression.

He had her exactly where he wanted her.

After a moment and much coercing on Kristoff's part, the Queen of Arendelle took the ice harvester's hand reluctantly, and allowed him to lead her unto the dance floor. She was shaking, something Kristoff picked up on rather quickly, and her eyes seemed to wander every which way, almost as if to seek some sort of way out of her current predicament. He had caught her shooting a glance in her sister's direction, and despite the youngest Arendelle royal having been enticed by the handsome Spanish prince, he noticed the young woman meeting her elder sister's gaze with a sly, knowing smile.

It wasn't until he was shot the exact same look from the princess that his smile faded away, allowing a scowl to settle upon his hardened features as he led Elsa to the center of the ball room, awkwardly placing his free hand upon the small of her back; he soon began to sway offbeat to the music, pulling the Snow Queen every which way as he glared in Anna's direction.

"Erm, Kristoff – I'm aware that the man usually leads in a dance, but isn't this a bit much?"

Pulled away from his thoughts in an instant, the blond ice harvester's brow furrowed in question as he gazed down at the young woman before him; the young woman who awkwardly held onto his hand and draped her arm over his shoulder, legs as stiff as a board, being moved side-to-side as though she were nothing more than a ragdoll. He couldn't help but frown at the way she looked – the all powerful Snow Queen of Arendelle, the woman that could create and manipulate ice and snow at will, the woman that placed the entire land in a state of doom, and yet managed to save it despite her fears and doubts of herself, appears as though she was a helpless child being dragged away by a mysterious mountain man who was anything was careful.

"I'm sorry!" he quickly apologized, stopping dead in his tracks as he stared down at the queen. "I guess I didn't – I mean, I wasn't – what I mean is..."

"It's alright," she stated reassuringly, despite herself. "I'm just glad I haven't begun to freeze you and the entire ball room."

"Have a bit of faith in yourself, _Your Majesty_," Kristoff smiled softly. "You saved Arendelle from freezing over – I'm sure a little dance is nothing."

"Kristoff…"

"Come on, I said it'd be fun, didn't I?"

She couldn't argue with that – that was something he was certain of.

He picked up his untimely swaying not long after those words left his mouth; he appeared in rhythm, now – at least, as in rhythm as possible for a man of his size and with as much lack of experience in dancing as he – and although she was still rather stiff, Elsa followed his lead as well as possible. Her hand was cold to the touch; something he brushed off simply as nerves, and her gaze was downcast, seemingly focused more on her footwork rather than her dancing partner.

Her grip on his shoulder tightened, unexpectedly sending a shiver down his spine as her icy touch seeped through his clothing, and he became fully aware of just how close the two of them were in that moment. Despite their budding friendship, Kristoff hadn't so much as accidentally brushed up against Elsa's small frame. He was rather careful with his interactions with the young woman, not wanting to do something that could potentially have been read the wrong way, nor did he want the socially awkward queen to feel as though her personal space had been breeched by the outdoorsman she had begun developing a friendship with.

Anna's words, of course, seemed to loop through Kristoff's mind – _This will be good for the both of you._ This – being close with Elsa not only physically, but emotionally, as well – was a much needed learning experience for both participants. That, he could agree, was something Anna was correct about. The princess knew both Elsa and Kristoff better than they knew themselves, and that was something that allowed her the advantage of knowing just what it would take to ease the two out of their shells.

He, however, could do without the teasing and innuendos from the youngest Arendelle royal.

"You're doing great, you know," he spoke as soothingly as possible, giving Elsa's hand a gentle squeeze in attempt to nab her attention away from her footwork. He flashed a crooked smile when her crystal blue eyes met his. "Dancing may not be your fortitude, but to someone like me who is no pro, you seem like you've been doing this your entire life."

"I'll admit I did practice as often as I could during the time spent in my room," the queen returned Kristoff's smile, no longer focused as much as she previously was on her footwork. She, of course, still managed to step correctly in time with the music, something that impressed Kristoff more than it should. "Granted, it was with a stuffed teddy bear, so I never properly learned to step in time with an actual live partner."

"Well, you certainly had me fooled," he affirmed with that goofy grin still on his face. "Then again, I've been compared to a giant teddy bear, before, so maybe that's why you're doing so well."

"By Anna, I presume?"

"The one and only," he answered with a smirk, glancing in the direction of said princess who had caught his eye, waving with a mischievous grin upon her face from behind the Spanish prince's shoulder. "She seems to be enjoying the fact that we're dancing together," Kristoff's smirk faded in to a stern line at the thought, remembering the young woman's teasing words the day she had invited him to attend the ball.

"I've taken notice to that," Elsa sighed, eyes moving down once again, a faint pink tint beginning to creep upon her skin. "I apologize if she's been causing you any trouble – I've noticed she is much like our mother when it comes to the mischief she seems to create, whereas I'm more like our father – calm and quiet. It amazes me how much innocent trouble our mother caused our father growing up, but of course he took it in stride. I believe he did have quite a bit of fun with it, as well, whether he allowed it to show or not."

"You two seem to be the spitting image of your parents in more than just looks, then," Kristoff deduced, absentmindedly removing his hand from the small of her back and lifting their intertwined hands up in the air. He loosened his grip on her hand and took a step back, not paying any mind to the tempo of the music or pace of the dancers. Their hands remained up in the air for a moment longer until he noticed that the two of them had stopped moving along to the music. He cocked a brow, staring down at the young woman before him with a quizzical look.

"That was your cue to – uh – twirl around."

Elsa's face scrunched together at Kristoff's words, a look of embarrassment flashing across her features. "I'm sorry, Kristoff. I didn't—"

"You danced with a stuffed toy," he chuckled out of amusement, running his free hand through his blond locks. "I don't expect you to have learned the more _sophisticated_ dance moves with an inanimate object as your partner."

His eyes flashed toward their hands, which still remained up in the air, and quickly raised his brow, flashing a soft smile. "Either way, don't leave me hanging."

A slight nod from the bewildered queen and she complied with the ice harvester's request. Slowly, and as in time with the music as possible, Elsa spun in a small circle, using Kristoff's hand to keep herself steady. Her hand moved back to his broad shoulder, while his took its place on the small of her back, and the two continued to sway to the music. Growing bold, however, Kristoff guided Elsa from side-to-side and front-to-back, covering more ground with their less than fancy footwork. Her brows would furrow together with every step on his foot, and with every apologetic look, she was met with that goofy grin of his which let her know all was forgiven. Soon, the two who swore up and down that they were indeed the worst dancers on the floor found themselves lost within the music. Several songs had passed, and yet, neither showed any signs of parting any time soon. They had engaged in several conversations with each other, ignoring the world around them as Kristoff shared some of the stories of his profession, while Elsa told of the things she would create with her abilities during the time spent behind the safety of a closed door. Promises of sleigh rides in the fjord and ice sculpting sessions were exchanged, as were laughs with every slip-up occurring during their dance.

Time seemed to pass rather quickly during the time spent together, and before they knew it, the ball room had soon cleared out, leaving them as the only dancing couple on the floor – something they didn't bother to notice until the band voiced their exhaustion. Elsa apologized to the band members profusely, while Kristoff took the blame upon himself, explaining that he was only teaching the queen what he knew about dancing. Anna, of course, was the one to dismiss the fatigued performers, smiling knowingly at both her sister and best friend afterward, before bidding a goodnight to the Spaniard whom she had shared her evening with. Elsa was, of course, oblivious to Anna's mischievous looks; Kristoff, however, was not. He was the one to bid a farewell to the queen before pulling the princess aside, who quickly covered their tracks by using the excuse of needing to walk the outdoorsman out of the palace.

"You like her," the youngest royal slyly smiled as soon as the castle guards were out of earshot.

"I do not!" he dismissed her accusation all too quickly, bottom lip protruding out ever so slightly in a childish pout.

"That's _exactly_ what someone with a crush would say!"

"You're impossible _and _delusional."

"And you, Mr. Bjorgman, are in denial."

"We're friends, okay!" Kristoff threw his hands in the air, making sure to put extra emphasis on the term _friends_. "Why can't you just accept that?"

"Because!" Anna clasped her hands together behind her back, swaying to-and-fro on the tips of her toes and backs of her heels. Her pigtails bounced alongside her. "I saw how you were looking at her! You even spent more time than necessary for a dance between friends. Didn't you notice how happy you were just _talking_ to her?"

He groaned rather loudly, slapping his palm against his face in frustration. It took every ounce of his being not to walk away from the Arendelleian princess before him.

"Look, I agreed to go to this stupid thing on the condition that you let go of your delusion that your sister has some sort of romantic interest in me!"

"And I held up my end of the bargain!" she smiled innocently. "I'm not implying in any way that my sister does like you – I'm simply stating the fact that you're the one who seems to have even the smallest amount of feelings for her."

"I – you – she… Damn it, Anna!" Kristoff balled his fists at his sides. "Look, I don't have to take this. Thank Elsa for allowing me to attend the ball, tonight. I'm headed home."

As the angered young man stormed away in silence, Anna could only smile in amusement. She would get both her sister and best friend to realize just what it was exactly they were hiding if it took everything in her power; that you could count on.

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**A/N:** Sheesh, this took longer than expected! I apologize for that, but I wanted to give you all a great read :) Hope I manged to accomplish that! I look forward to reading your guys' reviews, and I'll get cracking on the next chapter as soon as possible! Thank you all for reading. Until next time!


	7. A Helping Hand - Part 1

Her eyes stared out amongst her kingdom from the privacy of her bedroom window, seemingly so far away from the outside world. The four walls that surrounded her were still so warm and welcoming, even after she had been locked within them for the vast majority of her twenty-one years of life. Her bedroom remained one of the only places Elsa managed to feel safe, as it continued to offer a sort of solace for the young queen – and much more importantly, an area where she was free to gather her thoughts and clear her mind. Of course, there were the occasions in which her legs took a mind of their own, going as far as to begin to lead her away from the safety of the palace, wanting so terribly to venture away from the kingdom and out into the fjord, up upon North Mountain where her beautifully crafted ice palace sat untouched and unharmed. However, as much as she wished to be alone for even a moments time, she knew she had a support system comprised of her young sister, Anna, as well as the lovely couple – Gerda and Kai – who took over as the royal sisters' parental figures soon after their parents untimely demise. Talking, however, was never a strong suit of Elsa's, which often resulted in failed conversations and rather difficult times alone within the rather uncomfortable silence of her quiet bedroom.

Even after overcoming most of the fear associated with her icy abilities, Elsa still found herself struggling to control the power she held at her fingertips. The sound of ice overtaking the windowsill her hands rested upon filled the silence of her bedroom, forcing her to strip her attention away from the beautiful, summer day outside and down to her hands. She had strayed too far within her mind, losing herself within her own thoughts, and as a result, her power began reflecting the emotions she didn't dare show.

A sigh escaped her lips, causing her breath to fog the glass before her. Her hands moved away from the windowsill, and after taking a moment to examine what she had absentmindedly done, she moved her palm across its length, effectively melting the freeze away.

Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration; just what exactly was going through her mind right now that was causing this? Was it the stresses of her position as Queen of Arendelle? No, that wasn't it. Could it have been the overwhelming feeling associated with being social – something she still had yet to get accustomed to? No, that wasn't it, either.

So what exactly was it?

Her thoughts ventured to the past few weeks – the majority of that time having been spent with her beloved sister. The eldest of the royal sisters steadily began to recall the many conversations she and Anna had shared during that time – each ranging in topic from memories of their childhood and missed opportunities that could have been spent together, to recent happenings in the kingdom and duties which were now carried by Elsa, to getting to know each other all over again and even healthy, fun, sisterly teasing dealing with their coming of age and lack of a man to accompany them on their lives' journey.

With a rather stern expression upon her face, Elsa had informed her young sister that, even though sharing a special bond with a man _did _sound rather appealing, it definitely was not necessary to achieve what they wanted in life, nor was it required in order to be successful. As much as she enjoyed seeing her sister happy, Elsa had to remind the princess that a man was not mandatory in order to obtain happiness in life. Anna, of course, reassured her sister of her knowledge on the subject, giggling like a child and informing her that she, herself, could use a man of her own to teach her what it was like to love someone that wasn't within your family.

_"A certain ice harvester, perhaps,"_ Anna had informed with a cheeky grin.

A chill made its way down the queen's spine.

She drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly through her nose and closing her eyes. Her sister's teasing had certainly gotten out of hand, but, had Elsa just hit the nail on the head as to what was causing her turmoil? Certainly it had to have been something dealing with her many conversations with Anna that triggered these emotions – but Kristoff? Just what exactly was it about him that could possibly ignite a fire within her – a place where cold had ruled for so long?

A rapping on the door nabbed the queen's attention. She had obviously lost track of time as soon as she entered her room, enough so that the palace staff obviously found troubling if they were forced to seek her out.

Her hands shot up to the hair atop her head, slicking back the few strands that had come loose. "It's fine, Kai," her voice quivered slightly as she spoke. "I'm just taking time to gather my thoughts. I will be down in a moment's time."

"Actually," a feminine voice called out as the knob twisted and the wooden door pushed forward. "It's me."

There, underneath the door frame, stood her freckle-faced, strawberry blonde sister, gazing at her with a furrowed brow and a look of concern.

Elsa blinked.

"Oh, Anna," she breathed, quickly turning back toward the windowpane to gaze out amongst her kingdom. "I'm sorry – I just wasn't expecting you. Kai is usually the one to fetch me when I've neglected things for too long."

"You haven't neglected anything, Elsa," Anna assured, entering the room and closing the door behind her with a creak of the hinges. "I was just worried about you since you ran in here earlier without a word."

"Thank you, Anna, but–" she turned to face her sister, now, putting on a brave face, "–like I said, I'm fine. I just needed to gather my thoughts."

The youngest of the two moved slowly toward the vanity positioned against the wall. She moved the chair out before it and took a seat, glancing at her sister's reflection in the mirror. "Is that why there's frost on the window?"

Elsa's eyes widened ever so slightly as she gazed at her sister, turning away only for a moment to glance over her shoulder at the window behind her.

"Thought I wouldn't notice?" Anna smiled slightly over her shoulder, gripping the sides of the wooden chair as she rocked back and forth in her place. "I know you like being alone and all, but you need to remember you have a sister within arms reach that is willing to listen to anything and everything you have to say."

Anna's smile only seemed to widen as soon as her sister's attention was back on her.

There was no arguing with the bubbly princess, and this was something Elsa knew firsthand. Although she wasn't much of a talker herself, Elsa knew that sometimes talking with those closest to you was a rather big help in determining just what was troubling someone.

Giving in to her sister's request so easily, Elsa leaned back against the windowsill, holding the edge for support. Anna was _still _smiling at her – smiling was one of those things Anna believed helped to cheer others up, yet Elsa couldn't help but feel awkward at the times the smiles were directed towards her – and the queen's gaze shifted downward, examining the heels made of ice she wore upon her feet. She delicately shifted about as though restless, wrapped her arms around her small frame, and took her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Do you remember the conversation we had about – erm – having men in our lives?"

Anna nodded from her spot on the chair, having fully turned to face her sister. "I do."

"And do you remember telling me that _I _needed a man to teach me what it is like to… _love _someone outside of blood relatives?"

Another nod from the young girl seated at the vanity. "I remember that, yes. Why?"

"Well–"

An audible gasp emitted from behind Anna's lips, startling Elsa. "Don't tell me you finally figured it out!"

"Figured what out?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing! Go on, go on!"

"Alright… I wanted to ask why it was that you brought Kristoff into the conversation."

A groan. "So you _haven't_ figured it out!"

"Figured _what _out, Anna?"

The young woman grinned from her place at the vanity, clearly giddy with excitement – something that genuinely confused Elsa to no end. Jumping to her feet rather quickly, the grinning girl stood proudly with her hands on her hips, eyeing her older sister as though she had just accomplished something wonderful.

"Why in the world are you so giddy?"

"Because," Anna began with a small laugh, "I never thought you would be _this _close to realizing this!"

"Realizing what?" Elsa furrowed her brow in slight annoyance. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

"More like something you aren't telling yourself – you like Kristoff!"

Her glossy lips parted ever so slightly at her sister's words, and the sound of ice crept back into her ears. Had she heard her sister correctly? Had those words truly left her sister's mouth? Or, perhaps, had Elsa taken them out of context when Anna's meaning was more innocent that Elsa first thought?

If that were the case, however, why did she react in such a manner?

Nonetheless, the queen shook her head and chuckled. "Of course I like Kristoff – we're friends after all," she smiled, running her hand across the windowsill to rid of the ice for what felt like the millionth time that day. "I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't like him, now would I?"

"Come on, Elsa," Anna sighed as she closed the distance between her and her sister. She pointed at the windowsill her sister stood before and cocked a brow. "You know I don't mean that you like him in a friendly manner – that poor window is proof."

"I haven't a clue what you're talking about, Anna."

"Mhm," Anna hummed in amusement, folding her arms across her chest. "And I suppose you _haven't a clue what I'm talking about_ when I say I've seen the way you look at him? Or how about how your face lights up when you first see him? Or maybe even how much you seem to enjoy talking to him – even about topics that have _nothing_ to do with ice?"

Elsa moved past her sister, bumping her arm against her and unintentionally pushing her off to the side. The young queen stood before her vanity, staring at her reflection in the mirror, and hugged her arms tighter around herself. "Enough, Anna."

"I'm right and you know it," Anna teased, smirking as she straightened her back in order to compose herself. "Gee, between you and Kristoff, it's like I'm dealing with two stubborn toddlers."

"Wait," Elsa's eyes widened at her sister's words. She gripped the edge of her vanity, rapping her manicured nails atop the wooden surface. "You've spoken to _Kristoff _about this?"

With a nod of her head, Anna hummed in agreement. "It's time you two realized that – yes, you both work great as friends, but even better as, say, lovers!"

_Lovers_; the queen's cheeks flushed the moment the word left her sister's mouth. Why must she continue to pester her with nonsense such as this? She knew her sister meant well, but didn't she know that Elsa was a rather busy woman now that the kingdom accepted her as their queen?

Then again, her sister _was_ Anna, a rather stubborn young woman to begin with whose playful side seemed to always manage to get the best of her.

"Don't be so ludicrous," Elsa turned to face her younger sister. She hugged her arms close to her body and furrowed her brow, a stern line taking place upon her lips. "We're nothing more than friends; besides, I'm much more focused on my kingdom and my people than I am in finding a suitor."

"I'm just suggesting that you both realize that I'm right sooner rather than later," the princess smiled, walking toward her sister and taking her hands in her own. "Before you miss your chance."

"Anna..."

"Either way," Anna began, moving now toward the door of the bedroom, "you both will realize in time. Whether it's too late or not, well..." She shrugged her shoulders, turning the doorknob as she did so. Pulling the door open, she looked over her shoulder and smiled. "I'll leave you alone, now."

The door hinges creaked as the door shut behind the exiting princess, and although she believed her sister to be rather delusional in that moment, Elsa wanted nothing more than for her to stay and chat about anything – anything other than what she believed to be budding feelings between the queen and ice harvester.

She took a seat at the edge of her bed and began to ponder over her sister's words, for no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't rid them from her mind. Just why exactly was Anna so adamant when it came to the relationship the queen had with the ice harvester? Anna herself had courted the young man, and although it didn't work out between the two of them, why exactly did she think it would go better if she was in her place? The young princess was now in a courtship with the Spanish prince she met at the ball just a week or so ago, and though she knew her sister meant well, Elsa wondered why exactly she was occupying so much of her time with the hope of a potential courtship between her older sister and best friend. So much of the time and energy Anna put in to her newfound project, as Elsa decided to call it, could have been spent on much more important things, such as much more personal time spent with the Spaniard that had caught her eye, or even her duties as a princess, even if they weren't much.

Her fingers ran through her hair, palms smoothing out her braid where it rested over her shoulder. A sigh escaped her lips, and she rested her head against her hand as she attempted to rid her mind of these thoughts. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her mind's eye envisioned her kingdom's ice master and harvester, standing tall beside Sven with a wide grin upon his face. His arm was slung across Sven's back, and his blond locks blew in the gentle breeze of summer, while his cheeks were tinted pink as though he had just emerged from the cold climate that accompanied his profession.

She shook her head of the images and stood from her seat on her bed, smoothing out her dress and repositioning the thin cape behind her. She had much to do today, which, perhaps, would allow her to clear her mind and focus on much more important matters such as her kingdom.

She would speak of this with Anna later, giving the young woman a piece of her mind. Although she hated to admit it, the princess had planted the seed in the queen's mind, and maybe, just maybe, she was on to something – and that was something that terrified Elsa to her core.

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**A/N:** Anna sure is having difficulty with her little project ;) I'm sure you can already guess what will be involved in part 2 of this chapter, so perhaps you all can weigh in on how you think Anna and Kristoff's conversation will go down. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far, it truly means so much to me! I wish I had the time to thank you each individually in a private message, but between writing and real life ordeals, this will have to do. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I will be cracking down on writing part two as soon as possible! As always, until next time!


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